8th graders camp, hike and learn at Yellowstone

The 8th grade trip to Yellowstone is always a highlight of Middle School, and this year the tradition continued.

Students packed in a lot during four very full days and five nights at the national park in Wyoming. Among the activities: they toured Excelsior Geyser and Grand Prismatic Hot Spring, visited the Wolf and Bear Center in West Yellowstone, Montana, watched Old Faithful erupt and saw Castle Geyser in the Upper Geyser Basin; toured the West Thumb Geyser Basin boardwalk to witness multiple examples of all four types of geothermal features (mud pots, geysers, hot springs, and fumaroles/ steam vents) along the gorgeous Yellowstone Lake; climbed Mt. Washburn in a 6 mile round trip, where they observed a red fox; and took a tour bus to the Lamar Valley to observe bison, elk, and pronghorns.

A new activity this year was in the evenings at the camp, reported Mr. Howk. Ms. Arnold and Coach Hawk took the students down to Yellowstone Lake to paint with watercolors.

Students also got to shop for gifts in several stores during the week, and nightly they practiced how to make smores around the campfire.

In addition to Mr. Howk, Ms. Arnold and Coach Hawk, Mr. Lindsay and Mr. Nydegger served as chaperones for this year’s trip.